Collapsible tube closure



sept. 1, 1936. H. RENICKE 2,052,798

COLLAPS IBLE TUBE CLOSURE Filed March l0, 195,6 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nvenlor By@ d/gm A llomey J v H. RENICKE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE I Sept. l, 1936.` y

Filed March l0, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor and Allorney: l mm Patented Sept.k 1, 1936 NlTED STATES ATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE Herman Renicke, St. Louis, Mo.

Application March 10, 1936, Serial No. 68,097

1 Claim. (Cl. 221-60) My invention relates generally to closure generally cylindrical in form and is interiorly means for collapsible tubes to replace the usualthreaded al? its lOWer end aS indicated by the ly present caps thereof, andan important obnumeral 8 fOr engagement with the threads of ject of my invention is to provide a new and the neck 5 0f the Collapsible tube 5.

5 novel construction of closure whereby the con- ,The Cap 'l extends axially with respect to the 5 tents of the Couapsime tube may be quickly and Collapsible tube neck 6 and rises considerably easily availed of, and wherein means is provided above. the neCk 7 and iS DrOVided al? its upper to prevent waste of Vthe contents, and to preend With the radially inwardly extending ange serve the contents against contamination and 9 Wlileh del'lnes the Opening lll and the radially 10 contact with the atmosphere While the closure OutWardly eXtending ange ll Whell may be l0 is in Closed Condition knurled if desired, for easy application to the Another important Object of my invention is neck of the collapsible tube. The ange Il also to provide closure means lof the character indilel'idS rigidity t0 the Cap 1. cated above wherein spring-pressed means is Orl the top 0f the Cap l are diameirieally 0D- utilized to actuate a portion of the device into PO'Sed radially inwardly leaning locking lugs I2 15 Operative position upon the performance as a and under are adapted t() be rotatably condition precedent to such operation, of an placed the radial diametrieally ODDOSed lugs i4 unlocking or unlatching operation which is perand. l5 Which are formed 0n the edge 0f the formod manually. locking disk which is generally designated I6, Another important object of my invention is whereby mol/ement 0f the locking disk I6 in an 20 to provide in closure means of the character in- @dal direction With respect t0 the Cap 'l iS pesidicated above, positive locking means which locks tVelY prevented Y the Closure Securely inoclosed position. The locking disk I6 is circular in form and is Other important objects of my invention will dat t0 rotatably Slide 0n the tOP 0f the Cap T, be apparent-froma reading of the following dednd the Center 0r the disk t5 l5 punched up 'es 25 scription inA connection with the drawings, mdlcated by the numeral Il t0 provide a female wherein for purposes of illustration 1 have shown receptacle for the Suap-button i8 Which is ara preferred embodiment of my invention. ranged 0b the Center 0f the 110D I9 Of the -ds- In tne1dmwngs; Pensing Cylinder 20. The receiver H on the lock- 0 Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view mg disk 'd is adapted when pressed down upon 30 taken through an embodiment of the invention. the male Sbab'bdtton t3, t0 Snap into Securing Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showengagement Wtth the snep-button l3- ing the dispensing tube in elevated open position. The dlsberlsmg Cylinder 20 iS tubular in ferm Figure 3 is a horizontal Seotionol View taken and close to but spaced from its lower end is the through Figure 1 approximately on the une 3 3 outwardly pressed generally triangular cross sec- 35 and looking downwardly in the direction of the ddd ddrlge 0r armlllus 2|- Tlie lOWer end 0f the arrowo dispenslng cylinder 2U is disposed to be approxi- Figure 4 is al top plan View of Figure 2 matelyush with the axially inward end of the ,Y Figure 5 is a perspective View of the dispensing collapslble tube neck 6 when the cylinder is in o tube and the locking disk. the closed position, and the lower end of the 40 Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the top Cylinder is Oben- The flange 0r annulus 2| is arof the embodiment with the locking ears in lockranged at Such a' helght 0n the Cylinder 20 as to ing position engage or almost engage the axially outward end Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the neck d df the Collapslble tube, S0 aS t0 act taken through the dispensing tube or cylinder. ds d, Closure against' the passage between the 45 Figure Sis a transverse vertical sectional view mtendr of the neck d and the exterldr of the taken through the locking disk. cylinder el] of any fluid material in the collapsible Referring in detail to the drawings, the numerwhat Whde thdcylddder 2d 1S m the closed posi' al 5 generally designates a conventional form of tldrl ddstrated m Flgdre 1 collapsible tube, such as a collapsible tube con- The Opening lb in the 130D 0f the Cap 1 ClOSely 50 taining toothpaste or the like, the said tube havnts the exterior of the uniform diameter cylinder ing the exteriorly threaded neck 6. In accord- 20 so that the cylinder 20 is closely slidable thereance with the present invention I provide for in in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. engagement with the threaded neck 6 the cap A helical spring 22 is circumposed on the cylinder which is generally designated 1 and which is 20 so as to act between the underside of the top 55 of the capvl and the upper side of the ange 2| 4of the cylinder 20, so as to normally urge the cylinder 20 in an axially inward direction. from the open position shown in Fig. 2. It is to be observed that the lower part of the cylinder 20 below the ange 2l is closely slidable in the neck of the collapsible tube.

When the lugs I4 and I5 of the locking disk I S have been moved from a position under the bosses I2 and I3 on, the top of the cap TI, the spring 22 will simply hold the cylinder 20 down in the closed position illustrated in Figure 1, and the same position of the cylinder 20 will be brought about by the spring 22 while the lugs I4 and I5 of the locking disk are disposedwunder the bosses I2 and I3 on the top of the cap1.

The open position of the cylinder 2,-illustrated in Figure 2, is achieved by disengaging the lugs I4 and I5 of the locking disk fromv the bosses I2 and I3 on the top of the cap 'I and then pulling the cylinder upwardly or axially outwardly so as to bring the dispensing opening 24 which is in the side wall of the cylinder 2D to a position above the top of the cap 'I, against the resistance of the spring 22, whose compression in such a position is clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The lower part of the cylinder 2|) below the flange 2| is suiiciently long to remain telescoped in the axially outward end of the collapsible tube neck even in the full extreme open position of the cylinder 20.

As soon as the hand or other operating agency has been'removed from the cylinder 20 or from the locking disk I6, by reason of which the cylinder was held in the open position, the spring 22 will expand and draw the cylinder 28 down into the closed position illustrated in Figure 1, in which Vposition of the cylinder 20, the locking disk 'I6 may be Vrotated so as to bring the lugs I4 and I5 under the bosses I2 and I3, and thereby positively lock thecylinder 20 in its closed position. lIf desired the locking disk I6 may be dispensed with simply by snapping the same from the cylinder 20 in the manner of disconnecting one-half of a snap-button from the other half. For accurate and convenient operation, there is provided on the locking disk IB an arrow 25 which indicates the location of the dispensing opening 24 in the side of the cylinder.

' Although the cylinder 20 may be operated to the open position by grasping the same or by pulling on the locking disk I6, the described arrangement is more properly intended to be operated simply by squeezing the body of the collapsible tube, the doing of which will exert sufficient pressure on the contents of the collapsible tube, to force said contents out of the neck of the tube with force adequate to` extend the cylinder 2G to the open position, provided the locking disk is in an open position. When the squeezing pressure on the body of the collapsible tube has been released, the spring 22 is suiciently strong to bring the cylinder 20 into its closed position; so that the device of the invention may be said to be automatic closing in operation and `automatic opening in operation. When the lugs of the locking disk are engaged with the bosses on the top of the cap l, no amount of exertion of pressure ordinarily encountered, upon the body of the collapsible tube will eiect opening of the cylinder.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be denitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made'in the materials,

and in the structure and arrangement of ther parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed as new is Y A closure for a collapsible tube having a neck, said closure comprising a cap removably secured on said neck, a dispensing tube slidable in said cap and arranged to have an open position wherein a dispensingV opening formed in the side of the dispensing tube is exposed exteriorly of said cap, and spring means for returning said dispensing tube to closed position wherein said'dispensing opening is located within said cap, a locking plate on the outwardY end of said dispensing tube, and having a recess in its underside, said recess being formed with a restricted opening, locking lugs on the edge of the plate, keeper -means on said cap with whichv said lugs are engageable to hold said dispensing tube in the closed position, and snapbutton connection meansi connecting said locking plate on said dispensing tube and comprising a stud on'the tube for insertion in the recesson the plate to secure the plate for rotation on the tube.

HERMAN RENICKE. 

